Owner and manager of killer bus charged with negligence
The owner of Home Boyz bus that crashed last week killing 58 people in Kericho and the manager of Western Crossroads Express Sacco have been charged with negligence. PHOTO | JOSEPH OPENDA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The two denied the charges and were released on a Sh5 million bond with sureties of a similar amount.
The owner of the bus that crashed killing 58 people in Kericho and his manager have on Monday been charged at a Molo court in connection with the fatal crash.
Mr Benard Ishindu Shitiabayi (bus owner) and Mr Cleophas Shimanyula, who is the manager of the Western Crossroads Express Sacco under which the bus christened Home Boyz belonged, appeared before Chief Magistrate Samuel Wahome.
Mr Shitiabayi faced three counts namely: permitting an unroadworthy vehicle to operate as a public service vehicle (PSV) at night, allowing the bus to travel at night without a license from the National Transport and Safety Authority and failure to keep records of the bus driver and his conductor.
His manager pleaded to two counts: that of permitting a PSV vehicle to travel at night without a license from NTSA and failing to keep records of the bus driver and the conductor.
The two denied the charges and were released on a Sh5 million bond with sureties of a similar amount.
They were also given an alternative cash bail of Sh1 million.
The magistrate directed that the matter be mentioned on November 5 ahead of hearing on November 28.
In the crash, 58 passengers lost their lives and at least 15 others were seriously injured when the bus which was traveling from Nairobi to Kisumu veered off the road and landed on a rocky farm in Fort Ternan, Kericho County.
It later emerged that the crash was as a result of dangerous driving and flouting of traffic regulations.
